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"In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful."

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What was Sameer's role in the story?

Initially, I had intended for Sameer to just be Zoya's scared secretary ( but we have Farhan Malik for that :P ). Yet as the story progressed, I found Sameer to possess headstrong qualities that Zoya needed to see. Although initially he just did as he was told by Zoya, later he began to develop a better understanding of the person he was around her versus who he wanted to be (like when he refused to give Sumaiya and Zaki's relationship info to the journalists, which was a major step for him). He grew to become unafraid of calling Zoya out for her actions and remained the strict, tough support that she needed.

Although I do not condone male/female friendships since there is no Islamic basis of them, the unspoken bond between Zoya and Sameer was important to show because on the one hand she had Haroun (who always took the gentle approach with her) and on the other hand she had people like Farhan (who were scared of standing up to her), so she needed somebody like Sameer.

How did Sumaiya and Haroun get engaged?

Sumaiya and Haroun's engagement was mainly orchestrated by Zaki Ahmed, who wanted to rile Zoya since he observed how important Haroun was to her. Zaki threatened Sumaiya's reputation and ordered her to use whatever means she could to get engaged to Haroun.

Where is Zoya's father throughout the story?

This has been a very common question, actually.

Zoya's mother passed away giving birth to her in the labor room. Zameer — Zoya's father — lost a wife who was very beloved to him. So, forced to raise Zoya alone, he tried but failed to hide his resentment of her because he saw Zoya as the indirect reason behind his wife's death.

When Zoya got married the first time, it was because her father suggested Farhan to her and she agreed because she wanted to get close to her father. Then, when Zameer found out what kind of person Farhan was, he became so embarrassed at choosing that man for his daughter that he fled. This guilt — coupled with the lifelong bitterness of raising a daughter who constantly reminded him of his wife — was what caused him to stay hidden and away from Zoya until his death.

Why didn't Haroun have a point of view towards the end of the story?

While I was writing the end of the story, I had a lot of people request me for a Haroun POV. The reason I didn't include it was because that part of the story was solely about Zoya and her spiritual journey. Haroun was (sorry) irrelevant to the plot at that point because the story wasn't supposed to focus on his pain during that time. Rather, it was supposed to focus on Zoya's feelings and her journey towards Allah without interference from Haroun. The point of this was to show that there are some roads one must take with God and God alone.

I did, however, include Haroun's letters at the end not only to explain his feelings somewhat but also to re-emphasize that although everything was going to be okay and Zoya had become a much better person, past mistakes aren't so easily forgotten.

Why didn't you reveal Zameer's letter / what is in it?

Sometimes we reach conclusions, and sometimes we don't. Sometimes there is closure, and sometimes there isn't. Sometimes loose ends are tied, and sometimes it's best to leave them be. This is reality, and this was the case with Zameer. Although Zoya ached for her father throughout the story, having spent so long without him had allowed her to live with only the idea of him. So many loose ends were tied in her life, but I felt that Zameer should simply remain a constant memory to emphasize that there isn't always a definite end to everything. And that some things are best left up to Allah.

What was it that made Haroun fall in love with Zoya? Did something specific spark the feelings?

I love this question.

I think even before they married, Haroun harbored an unromantic softness towards Zoya because of everything she had been through and because he was naturally just a very openhearted person. But when they married, what really struck him was when he found the file containing Sumaiya and Zaki's pictures. He was baffled that Zoya cared about him so much that she was willing to risk her reputation in his eyes rather than hurt him with the truth. This is what caused his affection towards her to grow immensely.

Why was Flora so angry at Haroun in the beginning of the story?

Flora had been working at Zameer Co. since the business started up and was a worker Zoya actually liked. Flora had seen how rarely Zoya liked employees and gave them promotions, so when she saw how fond Zoya acted towards Haroun and how quickly she gave him a promotion, it upset her. Flora already wasn't very fond of Haroun because she believed nobody could be such a good person without having an ulterior motive (as so many of us think nowadays, unfortunately), and Zoya's affection of him added to this anger.

Did Sameer always have a thing for Zoya? If so, since when? Why does he understand her so well?

In the first chapter of the story, I mentioned how Sameer's heartbeat quickened around Zoya, but that wasn't unique to only him. Many man's hearts had beaten like this around Zoya.

So yes, Sameer did have a small thing for her, but so did many, many other men. And it was mainly her beauty, power, and influence that roused these feelings. While Sameer liked Zoya, it was more of a crush than a powerful love. And this crush decreased when he began to realize that who he wanted to be didn't align with the questionable things Zoya did. And also because he saw Zoya's strong, obvious feelings for Haroun. :P

The reason Sameer understood Zoya so well was because he had been with Zameer Co. since the beginning. He was also her secretary / personal assistant, so he knew her work habits and her personality better than anyone else who worked with her.

Does Haroun's dislike for his father never go away?

Haroun wasn't very fond of his father, yes, but he still respected him and tried to grant him the position he deserved (despite Suleiman not having fulfilled many of the duties of a father). Haroun's dislike of him stemmed from the heartbreak Suleiman caused Ammi as well as the trust he broke.

I don't have a concrete answer for this except that Haroun was aware of the Islamic rights his parents deserved. So while trying to uphold those rights and be as respectful as possible, over time his hard feelings would also go away and be replaced by tentative closeness. And this is mainly because Haroun was the kind of person who didn't want to risk his afterlife by holding grudges in this life.

What is Zoya and Haroun's daughter's name?

Ah, a lot of people have asked me this.

The answer is: I don't know :P. So why don't you guys go ahead and suggest some names here?

Was Zoya always a bit flighty and headstrong or did she become like this after Farhan?

Definitely after Farhan. Zoya used to be a quiet girl who would do anything to make her father happy, but after marrying and divorcing Farhan, she realized not to depend on anyone other than herself (and later on, Allah). Sick of the person she used to be, she built herself up from that to ensure nobody would ever step over her again.

Was Zoya's manor previously her ex Farhan's?

Yes. He was a wealthy investment banker and thus had a large manor. Zoya threatened him at knifepoint to place the manor under her name, divorce her, and leave for good.

Why did Farhan Malik stick around for so long if he genuinely hated Zoya?

Farhan's initial dislike of Zoya was purely the boss-employee rivalry. But later on, when she humiliated him on live TV, the dislike grew. The reason he stayed, however, was because Farhan's mother was a strict woman (which was mentioned briefly in the story). He knew that if he left Zameer Co., his mother would force him to work at his uncle's IT company. And Farhan preferred Zameer Co. and Zoya's harsh attitude to working somewhere he really didn't want to.

Why was Farhan's attitude indifferent towards Zoya after she married Haroun?

I wouldn't say it was indifferent, just that he became used to Zoya's dislike of him. And instead of weeping about it constantly, he joked about it.

I think there was also a psychological force at play. Farhan loved his best friend and was aware of Haroun's pious personality. So seeing Zoya married to Haroun made him feel that if his best friend — who was a good person at heart — had chosen this woman, she was probably by extension a good person as well ( Farhan's thoughts, not mine :P ).

Does Zameer Co. still sell bridal dresses as well as modest everyday clothing?

I'm deciding right now that yes, they do. :)

Why did you decide to make Zoya wear the hijab?

I actually did not want to make Zoya wear the hijab. It was never something I intended when I began writing the story. But it sort of just . . . happened.

The reason I didn't want Zoya to wear the hijab was because I didn't want to send the message that one can only have a close relationship with Allah if they are visibly Muslim. Throughout the entire story, I emphasized that people's appearances aren't always reflective of what is in their hearts, so I felt like having Zoya wear the hijab was opposing this idea in a way.

However, it is undeniable that visible faith ideally reflects an inner devotion to God. It isn't for no reason that Allah has ordained upon Muslims to lower their gazes, guard their chastity, and cover themselves for His sake. So Zoya wearing the hijab made a lot of sense later.

Is Sumaiya chronically ill towards the end of the story?

Sumaiya was not chronically ill towards the end of the story. A couple of months prior to Zoya asking forgiveness from Sumaiya, Zoya ordered her to give her the file containing Sumaiya and Zaki's pictures. Despite Sumaiya's warnings that Zaki would harm her, she reluctantly gave the file to Zoya because she was seeking redemption for her mistakes. After Zoya released these pictures to the press, Zaki went after Sumaiya and orchestrated a car accident, which left Sumaiya injured. When Zoya visited her at the end of the story to ask forgiveness from her, Sumaiya was still in bad shape from the accident. This was why she was still having chest pain while breathing.

Where is Mumtaz now? Can you give us a bio of her?

Mumtaz still lives with Zoya and Haroun. :)

Mumtaz was just a Pakistani woman who immigrated to the United States and worked for Farhan Hussain and his family. When Zoya and Farhan divorced, Mumtaz stayed with Zoya. There really isn't much else to know about her except that she's amazing. :P

How did you come up with Zoya's character?

Before Journey to Hidaya, I had been trying to write a story about Muslims for a long time. But it wasn't working out. And I realized this was because I was starting off with a "perfect" Muslim woman who seemingly had no flaws to rectify. What I needed was to write about somebody absolutely imperfect and display her growth as she worked through her imperfections and insecurities. So I thought — why not reverse the trope of the shy, quiet, selfless woman (not that there is anything wrong with that) and replace her with someone rude, arrogant, flirtatious, etc.? I felt that I would be able to display that growth much better.

How did you come up with the spiritual references? (i.e. explaining hijab)

I think a lot of the spiritual references were instances I felt strongly about in my own life, such as learning to trust Allah above all else as well as various other concepts. There were some things I researched thoroughly before publishing, such as the concept of free will and divine predestination as well as many other concepts. So scholarly articles and Qur'anic references were my best friend.

I pray I was able to relay Allah's message in a way that pleases Him. Ameen.

Where and when did you come up with the idea of this story?

I don't even remember, to be honest. I think I was at the mosque and I had a vague desire to write about an "unconventional" fictional Muslim woman. This was about five months before I made the first chapter public.

Why have you written this story / what made you decide you want to put pen to paper and not just keep it an idea in your head?

The initial reason I began this story was because a lot of things frustrated me about the Muslim community. These include: the way Islam is portrayed versus what it actually entails, the unwillingness to look for good in people, the judgmental attitudes towards already struggling Muslims, the misguided notion that someone's heart / intentions can be determined by others, the aversion to recognize real issues and doubts of faith and instead shake them off as blasphemy, as well as organized / blind faith. Later on, other reasons came into play, such as wanting to show the softness of Islam that is so often overlooked as well as the much needed close bond with Allah above all other creations. These major reasons — along with many others — drove me to try to shed light on these issues.

I pray I was able to write what I intended in accordance with Islamic teachings and that Allah accepts it from me. Ameen.

Did you pre-plan the novel or did you plan as you wrote it?

I'm a writing pantser all the way. I have very vague ideas that I write as I go along. I did have a notes section in my phone where I wrote random scenes or quotes anytime they came to my mind, but other than that most of the story formed as I wrote it.

Is there anything that turned out differently when you wrote it as opposed to how you had planned it in your head / what did you edit out of the story?

I didn't intend for Sumaiya to be be a spy for Zaki; she was just supposed to be Haroun's fiancé. But giving her the role of spy made sense for the plot and it also became the underlying reason her and Haroun's engagement broke off.

I didn't intend for Haroun to become so affectionate towards Zoya — at least not to the point that it drove him to his utter heartbreak. But after what Zoya did coupled with Haroun's complete willingness to trust her, it only made sense for him to be incredibly upset by the loss of trust. And it emphasized his absolute humanity, which I think I as well as many of my readers forgot along the way.

I also intended on keeping Haroun away for longer (and this was something I struggled with often). I didn't know what was too much and what was too little — keeping in mind his personality but also his very human feelings. At the end of the day, three months seemed appropriate, especially since Zoya was pregnant.

I didn't plan on Zameer dying, but even though I wanted to leave his story incomplete, I also wanted a finality to it. I wanted to put an end to his obvious distressing presence in Zoya's everyday life without having her forget him entirely. I know this is a dual perspective, but his death still left Zoya feeling incomplete, which I felt was appropriate.

There was also a lot of Zoya/Farhan banter that I really wanted to add in but there was either no room for it or it didn't make sense to the plot.

I know there are a lot of things I took out, added, or changed in the story. But these are the ones I currently remember. :P

Did you find it difficult to write Zoya's character because she does some pretty questionable things in the beginning?

Surprisingly, not really. I found Zoya to be the easiest character I have ever written. I think this is because I know she had a lot to work on, and thoroughly describing her questionable behavior only made it more enjoyable to write her spiritual journey.

Which part of the novel did you enjoy writing the most?

The end, definitely. The part where Zoya was alone for some time and reevaluating her life, her personality, and her relationship with Allah.

Which part of the novel was hardest to write?

I think when Haroun found out about Zoya's lie towards the end. I knew everything that would come after that scene down to the way the story would end, but that chapter in particular stressed me out because I didn't know if I was giving justice to the character's emotions.

What is one of the most important messages you wanted to convey from Journey to Hidaya?

I think when I first started writing the story, my central message was that Islam is not always the Muslim. Meaning that even though we as Muslims should ideally represent Islam to the best of our ability, we are still imperfect humans. And that the way Islam is sometimes orchestrated is not always reflective of its teachings — so the religion isn't the problem, its portrayal is. But towards the end of the story, my central message became learning to trust and rely on Allah above all else. We may love creation, we may love materialistic things, we may even love people to a dangerous extent, but we should always remember the Creator who provided us with all those things and strive to put Him above all.

May Allah allow us to utter His name and only His name in pain and happiness both. Ameen.

What was your spiritual journey / experience?

Still learning, sis :P.

I think what prompted me most to want to gain Islamic knowledge was the interference of culture in religion and my desire to determine which was which. I was also frustrated by Islam's portrayal by some Muslims and direly wanted others to know how gentle and beautiful this religion actually is.

What's your favorite food?

If you mean favorite type of food, then Chinese & Pakistani. If you mean favorite food item, then noodles. Definitely noodles. :)

What's your favorite color?

Royal blue.

Which character would you say you're most similar to and why?

This is a hard question.

I think I'm similar to Haroun in that I really just want to see the good in people and defend their reputations as well as differentiate between Islamic representation as opposed to Islamic teachings. But Haroun has a kind of patience and strength of faith that I can only make duaa to have.